Multiplayer game method and system

ABSTRACT

A method of implementing a multiplayer game is described which includes the steps of: the playing of a standalone game by two or more users on two or more respective wireless devices; the conclusion of each game producing resources; each device transferring it&#39;s respective resources to the server; each user providing directions; each device transferring it&#39;s respective directions to the server; the server utilising the directions and the resources of each device when the respective device is not connected to the server to interact with a persistent game world simulated on the server wherein the persistent game world is common to all users; and the server transmitting results of the interaction to at least one of the users. A system and software for implementing the method is also disclosed.

FIELD of THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a multiplayer game method and system. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a method and system for implementing a massively multiplayer game over a wireless network.

BACKGROUND to THE INVENTION

In the state of the art there exist single-player games on wireless devices. For example, the SNAKE game on NOKIA 3310 cell-phones.

Such games do not utilize the wireless nature of the cellular network and can be played when a connection to the network is unavailable.

In the state of the art there exist massively multiplayer games on wireless devices. These include ATOMIC DOVE which is available on JAVA-capable cell-phones on the networks of several cellular network providers.

The user of the ATOMIC DOVE game selects options on their cell-phone, these options are transmitted to a central server and every day the server computes the impact of the user's options on other users within the ATOMIC DOVE gameworld.

The impact of other users upon the user is revealed to the user when he/she next connects to the central server.

The SAMURAI ROMANESQUE game is another example of a massively multiplayer game on a wireless device. The SAMURAI game may be played on iMode-capable wireless devices.

The user of the SAMURAI game may play games of skill and chance on their wireless device in the nature of a single-player game such as the SNAKE game. The results of these games of skill and chance affect the abilities of the user's persona, a samurai character. The user may connect to a server and control the persona in a massively multiplayer gameworld, interacting with the environment, such as NPCs (Non-Player-Characters), and the personae of other users.

Unfortunately, current models of ‘interaction’ with a persistent game world suffer from a number of technical limitations, including:

-   -   Network latency     -   Connection speed     -   Display and memory size of client devices     -   CPU power of client devices

What is needed is a new model for interaction between the client device and the multiplayer gameworld.

SUMMARY of INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multiplayer method and system which enables users to play standalone single-player games the results of which have effects on/within a common persistent game world, said effects occurring whether or not the user is connected to the server simulating the common persistent game world.

A further object of the invention, to be read disjunctively with the above object, is to provide the public with a useful choice.

According to the first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of implementing a multiplayer game including the steps of:

-   -   i. the playing of a standalone game by two or more users on two         or more respective wireless devices;     -   ii. the conclusion of each game producing resources;     -   iii. each device transferring it's respective resources to the         server;     -   iv. each user providing directions;     -   v. each device transferring it's respective directions to the         server;     -   vi. the server utilising the directions and the resources of         each device when the respective device is not connected to the         server to interact with a persistent game world simulated on the         server wherein the persistent game world is common to all users;         and     -   vii. the server transmitting results of the interaction to at         least one of the users.

The standalone game is a game that is played on the wireless device without connection to a game server. The game may include elements of chance and/or skill. The resources produced at the conclusion of the game may be virtual Mahjong tiles, footballer skills, or virtual water.

The wireless devices may be mobile devices such as cellular phones or PDAs.

The directions provided by the user may indicate how the resources are to be used in the persistent game world or in relation to other interactions possible in the persistent game world.

The persistent game world is able to utilise the directions and resources when there is no connection to the wireless device. The term “connection”is used here to refer to any open communications channel between the server and the wireless device. Thus, the server has no connection with, or is not connected to, the wireless device when the server has no open communications channels with the wireless device.

The persistent game world may simulate a 3D environment or other complex environments. The persistent game world may simulate real time.

The persistent game world may utilise the resources in the construction of specific structures such as the Great Wall of China or other monuments.

The results of the interaction transmitted by the server back to the wireless devices may consist of multimedia elements such as sound or animation. The results may be transmitted as an SMS or MMS message. The results may be transmitted by a custom Java or Brew application.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a system for implementing a multiplayer game including:

-   -   i. a plurality of wireless devices;     -   ii. a server;     -   iii. each device containing a standalone game application         responsive to user interaction to obtain resources, a resource         allocation application responsive to user interaction to obtain         directions, and a client messaging application with the ability         to transmit resource and direction data to the server and         receive message data from the server;     -   iv. the server containing a server messaging application with         the ability to send data to and receive data from wireless         devices, a user event management application responsive to data         from the server messaging application including resource and         direction data to compile instructions for a persistent game         world engine, the persistent game world engine able to execute         the instructions when the wireless device to which the         instructions correspond is not connected to the server, and a         message generation application responsive to instructions from         the persistent game world engine to compile message data for         transmission to wireless devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION of THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1: shows a block play diagram; and

FIG. 2: shows a block tech implementation diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION of PREFERED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a method and a system for providing a multiplayer game. The method involves the playing of a standalone game on a wireless device and the results of said game being transmitted to a common persistent game world simulated on a central server.

The method builds on existing gameplay models, repurposing them in a unique way to introduce a new audience—the so called casual/social mobile gamer—to persistent world gaming. This is accomplished by presenting a simple way for new players to interact with a persistent game world—the donation of resources earned within a single player game for use within the persistent world.

The method embodies a gaming experience where single player games award resources that are repurposable in a multiplayer environment

The invention will be described in relation with use with a front or single player game for a Great Wall based multiplayer game. The single player game builds on fundamental gameplay aspects of traditional Mah Jong—the ordering of tiles into triplets, and scoring based on certain combinations thereof. It will be appreciated that other games such as puzzle games can be used as the single-player game to award resources that are useful in a multiplayer gameworld. Players are given the opportunity to apply the resources earned in the single player game in the multiplayer world. In this way any single player can measure his skills against others, and cooperate with thousands of other players on common goals.

Referring to FIG. 1, a number of examples of how the method may be implemented will be illustrated.

The following examples describe a method for the creation and delivery of a multiplayer game environment that relies on and is affected by the delivery or denial of resources created by standalone gameplay on a plurality of connected devices.

The Great Wall example

A single player chooses to play a standalone game—in this case, a solitaire game based on Mah Jong tiles on a mobile device. Gameplay does not depend on connectivity to remote data or other resources not resident on the device. If the player succeeds in building a legal Mah Jong hand of four triplets and a pair she wins, and is awarded the tileset.

The player is then presented with a question: Who will you donate your winnings to? You don't know it yet, but you are now interacting with a multiplayer gameworld. You receive this message: “47 villages are currently working to rebuild the Great Wall of China. Your tiles can be donated to any village. Choose a Region: The player is then presented with dialogues prompting them to select from one of 6general regions in China, and is asked further to choose a Village within that region. When done, a final message: “The villagers thank you, and will send you a message soon.”

Later in the day the player receives an SMS or MMS (Short or Multimedia Messaging Service, respectively) message from the village—with a still(SMS) or animated(MMS) image of the virtual villages placing one of your tiles on the structure they're building. In this case it is a section of the Great Wall of China. Text of the message: Thanks! Dragon tiles make great Capstones!”Looking closer at the image we see villagers in midstruggle, moving a Green Dragon honor tile donated by the player earlier in the day into position on top of the wall.

Players soon learn they are in competition with other players to help grow their respective villages—the level of resources donated by all players affects the development of the gameworld, and acknowledgement of that development continues through existing mobile messaging services.

This cycle of the directed supply of resources won on standalone games which affect the development of the persistent multiplayer gameworld is the fundamental proposition of the proposed game environment.

As described above, the simplest relationship a player can have with the multiplayer world is through the donation of tiles. When a tileset has been donated, it is placed by the villagers in the Wall.

And there it remains. The game world is persistent; once a tile has been laid, it remains in place in the gamespace forever. Ultimately, all players are cooperating in the creation of a single massive structure—the first example being a virtual recreation of the Great Wall of China. Actual construction is undertaken by the virtual inhabitants of the gameworld, who are fairly simple agents with limited behaviors—they wait for resources - in this instance tiles, to arrive in their village, carry them to the Wall, and place them, documenting their activities as required with text and images. In this way they are not unlike agents found in previous city simulation game titles like SIMCITY™, and in fact the persistent world engine necessary to host the multiplayer world operates very much like these kinds of games.

It's useful to think of the villagers as virtual pets—you donate tiles, they build the wall. The vitality of the villagers overall is dictated by the amount of tiles moving through their area, and of course they're always letting you know how they're doing in relation to the other villages in the messages they send. The simplicity of the donation relationship is crucial to attracting casual or social gamers who might not normally engage with a sim world. There are no controls to learn, no strategies to master—send tiles and your adopted village prospers.

Players may also form guilds to compete in larger variations on the games above- for instance, competing to finish a mile long section first, or with the greater number of points awarded. Guild members may simply desire to cooperate on the construction of larger sub-structures like towers, or significant sections of the wall. To promote this aspect guild members might have access to specially colored tiles; with these it is possible to create deeper patterns or simply permanent artwork for the future enjoyment of visitors to the wall.

Last, there could be larger stories associated with the villages along the wall, and players will participate in these tales as they unfold, so that included with reports of progress on the wall will be the latest gossip—not unlike the stories that frame many current game titles.

The Futbolworld example

To interact with Futbolworld the player chooses to play a different game, the object of which is to direct a soccer ball past a defender to score a goal. Again, gameplay at this point does not rely on external connectivity to the persistent gameworld. The player succeeds on 6 out of 10 attempts, and is awarded 6 experience points, followed by this message: “You may give your experience points to any virtual player in Futbolworld. Experience points improve a player's ability to get in games and increase in stature. Would you like to review the list of players?”

The virtual Futbolworld is hundreds of square miles in size, dotted with dozens of soccer pitches—from rough backyard fields to huge stadiums. Players wander the world looking to be chosen to play in any of the dozens of pickup games starting at any given time. The experience points won in external handheld games and donated to the gameworld players increase the possibility of being chosen to play, and improve play within the virtual soccer games. Their success in playing the actual game affects their stature in the game world—the best virtual players rise to the top, playing in the most prestigious leagues, the biggest games. Later in the day the real world player receives an MMS message: an animation of his chosen player scoring two goals in a small local game, with text: “Thanks for helping me with my goal kicks. I scored two goals today in Harvey! I'm ranked 402 out of 1438players. I could really use some help with my ball handling—play that game!”There is other development within the gameworld as well. Areas which attract the best players begin to grow faster than others, building more impressive facilities, drawing larger crowds. The virtual players themselves age, eventually losing their skills and retiring, to be replaced by newer, younger players.

The Waterworld example

A player chooses to play a simple game involving the diversion of water using pipes or canals into a bucket. If successful they are awarded the amount of water they have captured.

They are then allowed to choose a region within “Waterworld”to receive the water. Waterworld began it's life as a dry, barren land completely devoid of flora and fauna. When water arrives, the dry land begins to change. Small plants appear. If water continues the foliation increases, soon becoming a meadow, or forest. Weather patterns begin to emerge, and eventually small insects, then animals appear.

Deny the water and the land begins to rot, eventually turning to dust, waiting to be reawakened by some future effort on the part of a different player. The players learn of these changes, of course, via messages—images, text, even music or sounds—sent to them from the gameworld. Referring to FIG. 2, a system for providing a multiplayer game system will be described.

Client side

Successful gameplay within the standalone game application awards resources to player.

Player uses resource allocation application to provide directions which direct resources to appropriate locations or entities within the persistent 3 d world engine.

A resource allocation message is encrypted, formatted, and transmitted by the client messaging application over the network to the persistent world server.

Eventually, the player receives a game status message with updated information (text, images) relating to the current state of the persistent gameworld.

Server side

The server messaging application receives, decrypts, and forwards a resource allocation message, and transmits same to the user event management application, which tracks user interaction with the game world, tags the resources to trigger events within the game world, and forwards tagged resource allocation instructions to the persistent 3D world engine.

The world engine is a self-consistent, persistent 3D world that relies on externally generated resources and internally enforced rulesets to drive internal change. As new resources arrive, agents within the gameworld act on them according to specific rules and associated tags. The majority of tags trigger documentation events, wherein an image is rendered of some local portion of the gameworld while a specific event is taking place. Said rendered images are tagged with information about user(s) who may be interested in them, and these tagged image sequences are forwarded to the message generation application.

Text messages, if appropriate, are added to the images, and the final message is handed to the server messaging application for encryption, formatting, and transmission via the network.

Although this invention has been described by way of example it is to be appreciated that improvements and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.

Specific embodiments of a multiplayer game method and system according to the present invention have been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be made and used. It should be understood that implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. It is therefore contemplated to cover by the present invention any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein. 

1. A method of implementing a multiplayer game comprising the steps of: i. the playing of a standalone game by two or more users on two or more respective wireless devices; ii. the conclusion of each game producing resources; iii. each device transferring it's respective resources to a server; iv. each user providing directions; V. each device transferring it's respective directions to the server; vi. the server utilizing the directions and the resources of each device when the respective device is not connected to the server to interact with a persistent game world simulated on the server wherein the persistent game world is common to all users; and vii. the server transmitting results of the interaction to at least one of the users.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standalone game is a single-player game containing elements of skill and chance.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the directions provided by the user are instructions on how the resources are to be utilized within the persistent game world.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the persistent game world simulates a 3D environment.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server transmits results of the interaction to at least one of the users by use of a Short Message Service protocol.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server transmits results of the interaction to at least one of the users by use of a Multimedia Messaging Service protocol.
 7. A method as claimed in any claim 1, wherein the server transmits results of the interaction to at least one of the users by use of a custom protocol.
 8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standalone game utilizes the Mahjong tileset and scoring rules.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless devices are mobile devices selected from the set of PDAs and cell-phones.
 10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a cellular network.
 11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the persistent game world simulates the construction of structures.
 12. A system for implementing a multiplayer game comprising: i. a plurality of wireless devices; ii. a server; iii. each device containing a standalone game application responsive to user interaction to obtain resources, a resource allocation application responsive to user interaction to obtain directions, and a client messaging application with the ability to transmit resource and direction data to the server and receive message data from the server; iv. the server containing a server messaging application with the ability to send data to and receive data from wireless devices, a user event management application responsive to data from the server messaging application including resource and direction data to compile instructions for a persistent game world engine, the persistent game world engine able to execute the instructions when the wireless device to which the instructions correspond is not connected to the server, and a message generation application responsive to instructions from the persistent game world engine to compile message data for transmission to wireless devices.
 13. A computer system for effecting the method of claim
 1. 14. A computer system for effecting the method according to claim
 1. 15. A computer system for effecting the method according to claim
 12. 16. A computer readable memory or data storage means encoded with data representing a computer program for implementing a multiplayer game, the computer readable memory or data storage means comprising: a. playing a standalone game by two or more users on two or more respective wireless devices; b. the conclusion of each game producing resources; c. each device transferring it's respective resources to a server; d. each user providing directions; e. each device transferring it's respective directions to the server; f. the server utilizing the directions and the resources of each device when the respective device is not connected to the server to interact with a persistent game world simulated on the server wherein the persistent game world is common to all users; and g. the server transmitting results of the interaction to at least one of the users. 